to honor as representing his Place and whom he hath Establish'd for his Ministers in the Temporal Government of Men and to whom every one ows Respect Love Obedience and Fidelity CHAP. VI. Of Tractableness THIS is one of the first Tractableness necessary and chiefest Vertue of Youth which being blind subject to many Faults and not able to conduct it self hath an absolute necessity of being guided by others more knowing and submitting it self to their Conduct and this Submission is call'd Tractableness It is a Vertue which makes us love What it is willingly receive search after and put in practice the Instructions Counsels Reprehensions and Exhortations to Good. O what an excellent Vertue Theotime Its Commendations is this which we may call the Ornament of Youth the Instrument of good Education the Mother of all Vertues in young Persons the Source of all Good the Cause of their Salvation A tractable Mind is capable of all Good as an untractable Mind is subject to all Wickedness We have spoken sufficiently of this Vertue and the opposite Vice in Part 1. Chap. 3. Read attentively and often what we have said and labor to obtain this Vertue as that on which your Happiness depends CHAP. VII Of Obedience OBedience is the Daughter of Tractableness Obedience necessary A tractable Mind renders it self obedient to the Will of others who have any Authority over it It is a Vertue necessary for Youth a Fundamental Vertue and without which one can never arrive at any solid Piety which made the Wiseman say Mens justi meditabitur obedientiam Prov. 15.28 that The Mind of the Just will meditate Obedience because it is a most necessary and effectual Means to acquire Vertue to which it aspires It is not only necessary for Youth but also so convenient for that Age that it is always proper and as it were natural A disobedient Child is a Species of a Monster And an ancient Author numbring up the Disorders which are found in the World St. Cyprian puts in the third rank a disobedient Child which he says is a Disorder which brings many others after it Love then Practice Theotime this Vertue so agreeable to your Age and besides so necessary and so powerful to make you really vertuous all the rest your Life Obey humbly and willingly your Parents your Masters and all those who have Authority over you I say obey humbly and willingly because it is not enough to obey but you must obey well A constrain'd Obedience yielded unwillingly by fear or force is a slavish Obedience which hath no Merit nor any shadow of Vertue True Obedience proceeds from the acknowledgment of ones Duty and a desire to please God in performing it well The First makes it humble the Second makes it voluntary prompt and facil You must obey thus if you desire your Obedience should be vertuous and agreeable to God. And by obeying thus you learn in good time not to do your own proper Will but that of others Proper Will which is ordinarily the cause of the Destruction of Men and chiefly of young Persons is an ill Guide which leads them into Precipices and makes them fall into many Misfortunes O Theotime the Wiseman says Vir obediens loquetur victorias Prov. 21.28 that The obedient Man will recount his Victories If you obey well in your tender Age you will recount one day the Victories you have gain'd over your most dangerous Enemy with your own proper Will you will know how much this Vertue was useful and praise God for it all your Life CHAP. VIII Of Chastity TRactableness and Obedience hinder the Disorders of the Mind and Chastity those of the Body It is a Vertue which entirely flies the Pleasures of the Flesh What Chastity is and studies to stifle the Thoughts Desires and Feelings of unclean Delight because they displease God. It is necessary for all Men How necessary but particularly for young Persons who being more susceptible of immodest Pleasures have a most particular need of this Vertue as we have shewn in Part 3. But as there is no Age for which it is more necessary than for Youth How convenient so there is none to which it is more convenient and advantagious I would to God Theotime you and all those of your Age could comprehend the Beauty of this Vertue with the Ornament and Profit it brings you If Chastity renders Men like Angels It makes them like Angels according to the Judgment of the holy Fathers cited above in Part 2. because it makes them imitate the Purity of the Angels in a frail Body It is chiefly in young Persons where this Effect is found true because their Age being less corrupted by Sin their Chastity approaches nearer to the Purity of those celestial Spirits If Chastity doth partake something of the Glory of Martyrdom And Martyrs according to the Sense of S. Jerom Habet pudicitia servata Martyrium saum S. Hier. Epist ad Demâ—â—r by reason of the rude Combats it sustains which sometimes are no less than those of Torments It is chiefly to the Chastity of young Persons to whom that Glory doth appertain Quem tormenta non vicerant volaptas superabat Idem in vita B. Hilarion Adolescentia multa corporis bella sustinet Idem Acrior pugna juvenum S. Aug. Ser. 23. de verbis Domini Martyrium sine sanguine triplex est Parcitas in ubertate quam habuit David Job Largitas in paupertate quam exercuit Tobias vidua Castitas in juventute qua usus est Joseph in Aegypto S. Bern. in Sententiis because the Combats they suffer are ordinarily more violent and more frequent than those of others which made S. Bernard say that besides the Martyrdom which is undergone by the Effusion of Blood there are yet Three others that is Frugality practis'd in Plenty whereof David and Job shew'd a Pattern Liberality in Poverty exercis'd by Tobias and the Widow in the Gospel and Chastity in Youth preserv'd by Joseph in Egypt Lastly Theotime those excellent Commendations Pudicitia flos morum honor corporum decor sexuum fundamentum sanctitatis praesagium omnis bonae mentis S. Cyp. de bono pudicitiae In malevolam animam non introibit sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis Sap. 1. which the Fathers give to Chastity which they call the Flower and Ornament of Manners The Honor of the Body The Groundwork of Sanctity The Presage of all sort of Vertues chiefly belong to young Men For it is true that Chastity in young Persons is a great Foundation for Vertue and all manner of Good may be expected from a chast Youth Because as the Spirit of God cannot dwell in impure Hearts so it takes delight to inhabit in chast Souls and to heap upon them all sorts of Favors Ruffin recounts to this purpose that St. Gregory of Nazianzen being yet young had a Vision
frequent and it puts a very great Impediment to your Salvation Some young Spirits are found tractable and pliable to receive Instructions Counsels and Admonitions but there are few who are firm and constant to observe them well They have a Spirit subject to change which adheres to all sorts of Objects lets it self be carry'd away by all its first Motions be tossed by divers Passions which permit it not to continue long in the same course They are scarce able to make one solid Resolution chiefly in that which concerns Vertue much less form or Exercise it when it is made the first Occasion carries them away and makes them forget all their good Designs If Inconstancy be not corrected in good time it puts a great Obstacle to the Salvation of young People and absolutely hinders them from learning Vertue Seed cannot take root in a moving Sand nor Vertue in a light Mind which changes upon all Occasions For this reason the Wiseman gives you that admirable Advertisement Theotime Non ventiles in omnem ventum non eas in omnem viam Esto firmus in via Domini Eccles 5. Turn not at every wind go not into every way be firm in the way of our Lord. This Inconstancy in God springs principally from three Causes 1. From a Levity natural to that Age Three Causes of Inconstancy which renders young Persons inconstant in all their Actions They are changeable in all their Inclinations in their Thoughts in their Designs and in their Resolutions hence it comes that they are so inconstant in Good. 2. It springs from this that they are not solidly convinc'd of the Importance of their Salvation and of the necessity they have of addicting themselves to Vertue in their Youth 3. It comes from the want of Conduct and from this that they not being capable to Conduct themselves take not the Counsel of others for the guidance of their Life or if they take it it is but for a short time they soon reject it abandon themselves to the Motions of their inconstant Mind For the cure of this Inconstancy there is to be apply'd a Remedy to these three Causes First then It s Remedy Theotime endeavor to correct in your self as much as you can that natural Levity of your Age which makes you subject to mutation in the greatest part of your Actions Be constant in all that you perform change not easily your Resolutions your Enterprises nor your Employments except with Reason and Counsel In a word govern your self by Reason and not by Fancy and Caprichio Secondly Labor to fix your Mind in Piety by good Thoughts and frequent Reflections on your Salvation and on the necessity you have to live vertuously in your Youth the reading of the First Part of this Book will serve for that end Thirdly An important Advice Submit your self to the Conduct of a wise Confessor Follow his Counsels and the Rule of Life he shall prescribe to you Give him an Account of your Actions from time to time that he may set you in a good Way when you are out of it Perform nothing of how little consequence soever without his Counsel or that of some other prudent Person But above all beg of God frequently that he will bestow upon you a Mind constant in its good Resolutions and fix you in Piety by the Conduct of his Grace a Perfice gressus meos in semitis tuis ut non moveantur vestigia mea Psal 16. God direct my Steps that is my Actions in the Path of thy Commandments that I may never wander out of it Have often before your Eyes that excellent Sentence of the Wiseman b Homo sanctus in sapientia manet sicut sol stultus ut Luna mutatur Eccl. 27. A religions or pious Man continues fix'd in Vertue like the Sun which never loses his Light but the Fool that is a Sinner changes like the Moon which is not constantly in the same State. CHAP. V. The Fifth Obstacle A Shame to do Good. AMongst the Means the Devil hath invented to pervert Souls there is none which he makes a greater advantage of to keep them securely in Vice than a Shame to do Good a Shame by which he deplorably seduces Mens Minds and principally young Persons who being by the tenderness of their Age more apt to receive the Impressions of Fear and Shame give Occasion to that miserable Spirit Omne malum aut pudore aut timore natura suffudit Tertul. in Apol. maliciously to abuse their Facility and natural Shamesac'dness to make them conceive that Shame and Confusion in respect of Piety and Vertue which was only made for Sin. For this effect he puts into their mind these false and vain Imaginations viz. The Means the Devil uses to raise Shame in young Persons That Vertue is contemn'd amongst Men That they are little esteem'd who follow it That if they should apply themselves to do well they should be despis'd yea even mockt at He actually represents unto their thoughts the Contempt and Scoffs of others and by these Artifices he withdraws them from the Way of Vertue stopping and stifling in them by this foolish Shame all the good Thoughts and Desires they had conceiv'd concerning their Salvation And sometimes this misfortunate Shame gets such powerful possession over their Minds that they not only blush to do Good and appear Vertuous but even glory in their Vices and have a kind of Confusion not to be as Wicked as the most Vicious as it happen'd to S. Augustin who deplores his Misfortune and Blindness in this Point in the Second Book of his Confessions Chap. 3. We shall relate his Words in the following Chapter If this pernicious Shame hath taken possession of your Mind you must account it for one of the greatest Obstacles of your Salvation and if you labor not in good time to over come it it will infallibly destroy you Now to conquer it arm your self against it with these Reflections 1. Remedy Why do you blush Are you asham'd of Vertue and the Service of God Dilectio Dei honorabilis sapientia Eccl. 1. than which there is nothing more Honorable in the World You account it a Glory to Serve a Prince upon Earth and will you blush at the Service of the King of Heaven your Sovereign Lord to whom you owe all that you are What strange Blindness is this But take notice that one never blushes except it be for some thing which is either Wicked or Indecent or too abject or unworthy of ones Self So that if you are asham'd of Vertue you put it into the rank of one of these What an Indignity is this 2. Before whom do you blush Before the Wicked whose Judgment is absolutely perverted who judge that to be wicked which is good and that good which is wicked having no other Rule for their Opinion than their deprav'd Inclinations If they contemn you it is because they
frequently endeadeavors to take God himself out of their Minds that they may Sin more freely as it is observ'd of those infamous old Men who attempted to corrupt the Chastity of modest Susanna * Exarserunt concupiscentiam ejus everterunt sensum suum declinaverunt oculos suos ut non viderent coelum neque recordarentur judiciorum justorum Dan. 3. They being inflam'd with Concupiscence says the Sacred Scripture lost their Sense and Judgment and cast down their Eyes that they might not look towards Heaven and remember the just Judgments of God. This is the proper and peculiar Effect of Immodesty it blinds the Mind and makes it hoodwink it self flifling in it self all good Thoughts that it might sin with a greater liberty and with less remorse of Conscience See the Account St. Augustin gives of himself concerning this Subject in his Second Book of Confessions Chap. 2. which I have cited Part 1. Chap. 13. Artic. 2. From this Blindness of Mind springs Pride Fourth Effect Pride the Fourth Effect of this Sin of Impurity which hindering the Mind from knowing its own Good makes it despise all Admonitions resist all Documents and scoff at the most wholsom Counsels Cereus in vitium flecti monitoribus asper So that as this Sin renders young Spirits soft and pliable to Vice it makes them inflexible and obdurate to the Advertisements of their Salvation The Wiseman teaches you this Truth which Experience also makes sufficiently appear * Verbum sapiens quodcunque audierit scius laudabit ad se adjiciet audivit luxuriosus dispiciet illi projiciet illud post dorsum suum Eocl 2.18 A wise Man says he when he hears wise Sayings and Instructions receives them with esteem and advantages himself by them the lascivious hath no sooner heard them but he is disgusted and rejects them with contempt We need no other Example of this Truth than that of S. Augustin in the Second Book of his Confessions Chap. 3. where he deplores the insupportable Pride with which he contemn'd the discreet Admonitions of his pious Mother to whom next to God he was oblig'd for the Favor of his Salvation The Fifth Effect is an Obdurateness of the Will in Wickedness Fifth Effect Obdurateness in Evil. According to the measure that Sin multiplies the Soul habituates her self and becomes obdurate so that nothing is able to soften her It would be an incredible thing if we did not daily see it most apparently how those who are possess'd with this Sin become stupid and obdurate They are found insensible of all good Motions deaf to all Inspirations of Grace the Menaces of Divine Justice and Chastisements seem to them but Dreams witness the two Sons-in-law of Lot Surgite egrediamini de loco isto quia delebit Dominus civitatem hanc visus est eis quasi ludens loqui Gen. 19. who lookt upon that Admonition he gave them to depart from the City of Sodom as a Fiction which the Night following should be destroy'd as in effect it was and they together with it The Examples of those whom God hath so rigorously punish'd for this Sin touch them not at all the Misfortunes which they see with their own Eyes to befall others like themselves make no Impressions upon their Minds nothing is capable to move them as soon as this brutish Passion most dreadfully takes possession Obsurduerant stridore catenae mortalitatis meae poena superbiae animae meae Lib. 2. Conf. cap. 2. Alas saith St. Augustin the Chain of violent Passions wherewith this mortal Flesh kept me captive made such a noise about me that I was deaf to all that might advertise me for my good And this Deafness was a Punishment of the Pride of my Heart contracted by the Disorders of my Life O what a deplorable State is that to which a Soul is reduc'd by Impurity After all these dreadful Effects of the Sin of Immodesty there remains one Sixth Effect Final Impenitency which is the accomplishment of all the former and the Mark at which they all aim viz. Final Impenitency or Death in mortal Sin which is the greatest and utmost of all Misfortunes It is O Theotime a most common and most ordinary Effect of this detestable Sin which incessantly fills Hell with a vast number of wretched Souls which by untimely Deaths it casts into that endless Pit Some dying surpris'd with Sickness which deprives them of the Time or Means to do Penance Others seis'd by some frightful Accident Others departing in Obdurateness abandon'd by God in punishment of their Sins Give ear to what the Scripture speaks of those and in the Name of God imprint deeply in your Heart those astonishing Words of St. Peter 5. Pet. 2. Novit Deus pios de tentatione eripere iniquos verò igni reservare cruciandos God says that great Apostle knows how to deliver the Good from temptation and reserve the Wicked for the torments of Fire which his Justice hath prepar'd for them Hearken to what follows Mugis autem eos qui post carnem in concupiscentia immunditiae ambulant Now for whom amongst the Wicked doth he principally reserve these Chastisements For those chiefly who walk after the Flesh in the Concupiscence of immodest Pleasures But what will befall them Hearken Theotime Hi velut irationabilia pecora in corruptione sua peribunt percipientes mercedem injustitiae They shall die like brute Beasts in their Corruption and perish in their Impurity receiving thus the Recompence they have deserv'd for their Sins O dear Theotime is it possible that this Oracle pronounc'd by the Holy Ghost himself against Immodesty causes not an horror of that detestable Sin Read it attentively and preserve it in your Memory and that it may be more strongly setled in your Mind add to it the following Examples ARTICLE III. Examples of the miserable Death of those who were addicted to the Sin of Impurity The Sacred Scripture can furnish us with a great number of them we have already mention'd some in Part 1. Chap. 6. See what we have there recounted of the two Sons of the Patriarch Juda Her and Onan who were punish'd by God with sudden Death for the Sins they committed by detestable Actions of Impurity The unfortunate Death of the two Sons of the High Priest Heli Ophni and Phi. naees and all the other Misfortunes which God sent to that Family were not only Punishments of the Irreverences and Injustices they had committed in the Temple but also of their Immodesty as it is observ'd in the First Book of Kings Chap. 2. Vers 22. Amnon the Son of David Amnon found the Chastisement of his unchast Pleasures in the dreadful Death he receiv'd from the treacherous Hands of his own Brother Absolon The Rebellion of Absolon against his Father Absolon was not the sole cause which made God lay his revenging Hand upon him the Uncleannesses he had committed
Kingdom of Heaven did appertain Sinite parvulos venire ad me talium est enim regnum coelorum Et complectens eos imponens manus super eos benedicebat eis Marc. 20. He embrac'd them with an admirable Tenderness and sent them not back till he had impos'd his Hands upon them and given them his holy Benediction The most notable Cures he wrought were of young People Amat Christus Infantiam quam animo suscepit corpore amat Christus Infantiam humilitatis magistram innocentiae regulam mansuetudinis formam Aug. Scrm. 8. de Epiph. Such was the Son of the King who was ready to expire in John Chap. 4. Another who was tormented with the Devil Mat. 17. The Servant of the Centurion and the Daughter of the Cananean Of the three Dead which he rais'd to Life two were very young viz. the Daughter of Jairus and the Son of the Widow of Naim and the third who was Lazarus was not in Years Of the twelve Apostles he lov'd particularly the youngest which was S. John. Lastly What greater Proofs can we bring of the Love Jesus Christ bears young People than the Two which I shall speak of The First is the Assurance he hath given Qui susceperit parvulum talem in nomine meo me suscipit Mat. 18. that all the Favours which shall be bestow'd upon them shall be accounted as done to himself He says he that receives a Little One in my Name receives Me. The Second is that dreadful Menace which he afterwards utter'd against those that Scandalize the Little Ones that is who make them fall into any Sin. Qui autem scandalizaverit unum de pusillis istis qui in me credunt expedit ei ut suspendatur mola asinaria in collo ejus demergatur in profundum maris Mat. 18. If any one says he Scandalize the Little Ones who believe in Me it were better a Milstone were ty'd about his Neck and he cast into the bottom of the Sea. Was not this a great Token of the singular Affection Jesus Christ bore to young Souls since he speaks with so much Zeal and Indignation against those who contribute the withdrawing them from his Service These dear Theotime are convincing Proofs of the Love God has for you in your Youth After these Assurances you have had thereof can you refuse the Love and Service he demands of you in this Age Doubtless you cannot without an extream Ingratitude and without offering him a most enormous Affront as we are about to see CHAP. V. That they who Consecrate not themselves to God in their Youth offer him a most heinous Injury THIS Truth evidently follows out of the Two former Fifth Consideration to Serve God in Youth for if it be true as we have manifested That God desires and demands particularly the Service of young People and hath an extream Love for that Age on which he bestows very singular Favours to assist it and invite it to his Service It follows The Injury that is done to God by not Serving him in that Age That to refuse him the Service he desires and requires with so much Justice and not to answer the Love he testifies to Youth by so many Favours and Benefits is to offer him a most heinous and enormous Affront But because this Verity is of such Consequence that it can never be sufficiently inculcated I shall make you see it more distinctly by the Three following Considerations which I beseech you to Examine well First First Reason of this Injury Not to Consecrate the Time of Youth to the Service of God is to take away a certain and assured Time which you may give him to reserve him an uncertain which you are not sure to have and which is not in your power viz. the Time to come This is the First Degree of the Injury you offer to God. You promise God to Serve him when you are older Who hath told you that you shall live a long time If you are not certain to be alive to Morrow how are you sure to live Ten Years hence There are more who die before Twenty or Twenty five Years of Age than after Now if you have no assurance to live a long time is it not a great Injury you do to God to promise him the Time to come which you have not nor is in your power and refuse him the Time present which you enjoy What think you Theotime do's not he deride God who acts in this manner and doth he not evidently manifest that he hath no true Will to Serve him deferring to Consecrate himself to him in a Time which perhaps may never come Secondly Second Reason You not only reserve an uncertain Time for God but take away the better to give him the worse For refusing to Serve God and apply your self to Vertue in your Youth which is as we said before ordinarily less deprav'd by Vice and most favour'd by Kindnesses from God you reserve to your self a Time wherein all things conspire to hinder you and render you unfit for Good and the Exercise of Vertue The Inconveniences of the Body which daily are caus'd the Inveterate Vicious Habits wherein you will be Engag'd the Perplexity of Worldly Affairs the Solicitude of Temporal Things the Spirit and Maxims of the World which you have Embraced Totus mundus in maligno positus 1 Joh. 5. The World which as S. John says is entirely plung'd in Vice and Corruption which breaths after nothing but Pleasures Covetousness Pride and has no more thought of Salvation and Eternity than if there were no such thing at all All these things will bring an incredible Impediment to your Salvation and will absolutely divert you from the Service of God if you prevent not them in good time by applying your self in your Youth to the Flight of Sin and to the Practice of Vertue Judge then of the Injury you do to God deferring to Serve him in a Time where you shall have so many Hindrances and not resolving to Serve him another where you have so many Means and Advantages Doubtless this is a grievous Injury Yet this is not all take notice of that which follows That which fully concludes the Enormity of the Injury offer'd to God is Third Reason That not intending to Serve him in your Youth you will give him nothing but the remainder of Sin delaying to Serve him till after you have pass'd your Time merrily in your Youth satisfy'd all your Passions and follow'd the wicked Inclinations of your Age So that the Time you reserve is but the remnant of what you have employ'd in Sin and Service of the Devil Do you comprehend Theotime the heinousness of this Injury and the Indignity with which you treat your God and your Creator * Nescitis quia Templum Dei estis Spiritus Dei habitat in vobis 1 Cor. 3. Your Soul is made to be the Temple and Dwelling
Cure. For this reason the Sacred Scripture in many places and principally in the Proverbs where it Instructs more particularly young People speaks so effectually against this Vice as being one of the greatest Obstacles of their Salvation and exhorts so frequently young Persons willingly to receive Instructions Counsels and Admonitions As for Instructions it says That a Sapientiam disciplinam qui abjicit infelix est Sa. 3. he who rejects Wisdom and Instruction is misfortunate b Sapiens corde praecepta suscipiet stultus caeditur labiis Prov. 10. The Wise receives Precepts in his Heart and the Vnwise cannot endure Instruction c Cor iniqui inquirit mala cor autem rectum inquirit Scientiam Prov. 27. The Heart of the Wicked seeks Evil and the Heart of the Just searches after Science d Vidisti hominem sapientem sibi videri magis illo spem habebit insipiens Prov. 26. There is more Amendment expected from a Fool than from him who thinks himself Wise As for Counsels it says That e Via stulti recta in oculis ejus qui autem sapiens est audit consilia Prov. 12. the Fool thinks all well that he does but the Wise hearkens to Counsels f Qui confidit in corde suo stultus est qui autem graditur sapienter ipse salvabitur Prov. 28 He who confides in his own Heart that is in his own Mind and Conduct is a Fool and he who walks wisely shall be sav'd g Audi consilium suscipe disciplinam ut sis sapiens in novissimis tuis Prov. 19. Give ear says it to Counsel receive Instruction that you may be Wise at the end of your Days What doth it not say of Reprehensions It says That h Qui diligit disciplinam diligit scientiam qui autem odit increpationem insipiens est Prov. 12. he who loves Discipline loves Science and he who hates Reprehension is a Fool. i Non amat pestilens eum qui se corripit nec ad sapientes graditur Prov. 15. The wicked doth not love him who reproves him neither doth he seek the Conversation of the Wise k Qui abjicit disciplinam despicit animam suam qui autem acquiescit increpationibus possessor est cordis Ibid. He who hath rejected Discipline despises his own Soul he who yields to Reprehensions possesses his Heart l Vir impius procaciter obfirmat vultum suum qui autem rectus est corrigit viam suam Prov. 12. An impious Man never blushes but the Just corrects his Ways m Cor durum male habebit in novissimo Eccl. 3. An obdurate Heart will make a wicked End. n Qui increpationes odit morietur Prov. 15. He who hates Reprehension shall die But above all take notice what it says in the 29th Chapter of the Proverbs a Viro qui corripientem se dura cervice contemnit reprentinus ei superveniet interitus eum sanitas non sequetur Prov. 15. A sudden destruction which never shall be repair'd will befall him who obstinately contemns Correction What can be said more to shew the greatness of this Impiety and raise an apprehension of the heinousness of it Wherefore Theotime have a care of this Vice as of one of the greatest Impediments of your Salvation acknowledge it if you be infected with it and use all the Endeavors possible to be cur'd and to get a tractable Mind which loves to be Instructed Counsell'd Reprov'd and Exhorted to Good. Now to obtain it this is what you must do 1. Beg daily of God this Spirit and demand it earnestly as a thing most important and on which all our Good depends 2. Keep always in your Mind that excellent Advertisement of wise Solomon p Nunc ergo fili mi audi me ne recedas à verbis oris mei ne gemas in novissimis dicas cur detestatus sum disciplinam increpationibus non acquievit cor meum nec audivi vocem docentium me magistris non inclinavi aurem meam Prov. 5 Son hearken to me and depart not from my Counsels lest at the end of your Life you be constrain'd to lament and be sorry for your Vntractableness saying Why have I refus'd to be Directed Why have I not willingly receiv'd Corrections Why have I not hearkned to the Voice of those who have Instructed me and why am not I made Tractable and Obedient to my Masters But alas Theotime it will be too late to be sorry then when it shall have happen'd to you and when there will be no remedy 3. Perswade your self A most important Advice for young Persons that you are in an Age full of Ignorance subject to many Failings wherein you are not able to Conduct your self but that you necessarily stand in need of the Directions of others which consist in Instructions Counsels Reprehensions and Exhortations And in a word that during your Youth Tractableness and Submission to the Instruction of others is so necessary that on that Vertue depends your good Education your Advancement in Vertue your Happiness in this Life and your Eternal Salvation in the next 4. Love to be Instructed in Vertue and be inclin'd to learn Good willingly of any one Ask Counsel freely even in those things Fili fine consilio nihil facias post factum non poenitebit Eccl. 32. wherein you think you have sufficient understanding O what an excellent Maxim is that to do all things with Counsel It is the Maxim of the Wiseman Son do nothing without Counsel and you will not repent when the Work is done Be not offended when you are reprov'd for your Faults Grande peccatum est odisse corripientem maxime si te non odio sed amore corripiat S. Hieron in cap. 5. Amos. It is a great Sin says S. Jerom to hate him who reprehends you principally if the Correction proceeds from the Love he bears you Defend not your self obstinately it is the sign of a great Pride but on the contrary yield humbly to a Reproof acknowledge your Fault and endeavor to amend 5. Remember that Tractableness doth not only consist in willingly receiving Instructions Counsels Reprehensions and Exhortations but also in advantaging your self by them and putting them in practice For Conclusion I shall give you that excellent Saying of S. Jerom * Bonum est obedire majoribus parere praeceptis post regulas Scripturarum vitae suae tramitem ab aliis discere Nec praeceptore uti pessimo scilicet praesumptione sua Hieron Epist ad Demetriadem de virg servanda It is good to obey your Elders and to follow the Orders of Superiors and after the Rules of Scripture learn from others the Path of Life which you ought to follow and make not use of a very ill Master viz. your own Presumption CHAP. IV. The Fourth Obstacle Inconstancy IF Untractableness be very common amongst young People Inconstancy in Good is yet more
hate Vertue and those who follow it * Execratio peccatori cultura Dei. Eccl. 1.32 Detestantur stulti eos qui fugiunt mala Prov. 13.20 Ambulans recto itinere timens dominum despicitur ab eo qui infami graditur via Prov. 14.2 The Service of God is an Execration to Sinners says the Wiseman Fools detest those who fly from Vice. It is ordinary that he who walks in the Path of Vertue and fears God should be despis'd by the World and wicked Persons who follow the infamous Track of Vice. If the Esteem of Men move you why seek you not after the Esteem of wise and vertuous Men who respect and honor you when you do well 3. Call to mind that dreadful Menace which the Son of God gave to all those who blush at his Service * Qui erubuerit me sermones meos hunc filius hominis erubescet cum venerit in majestate sua Luc. 9. He who shall be asham'd of me and my words I will be asham'd of him when I shall come in glory that is he will not acknowledge them for his Remember that fearful Confusion which at the Day of Judgment will cover the Face of those who have blush'd in this Life at the Service of God when their Sins shall be expos'd to the view of the whole World and that for the Shame they had for Vertue * Dabo vobis in opprobrium sempiternum ignominiam aeternam quae nunquam oblivione delebitur Jer. 23. v. 40. they shall be abandon'd to an eternal Disgrace and Confusion which shall never be blotted out of the memory of the Angels and Saints as the Scripture testifies O dear Child demand frequently of God Practice that he would strengthen your Mind against this Misfortune which is nothing but the pure Imagination of a weak Spirit Accustom your self betimes to perform good Works freely without regarding what others speak or esteem of them Despise their Contempts and mock at their Scoffs and reflect what a great Folly it is to prefer the Esteem of Men before your Eternal Salvation and to please a small number of lewd Men not to value the Displeasure of all wise Persons of all the Saints in Heaven and of God himself Weigh well this Reflection CHAP. VI. The Sixth Obstacle Wicked Company ARTICLE I. How hurtful it is O dear Theotime how should I rejoyce if I had Eloquence enough to make you comprehend and all those of your Age understand the greatness of this Impediment of your Salvation and clearly set before your Eyes the multitude of young People who are daily ruin'd by wicked Company It is in this where ordinarily the Devil sets his Snares for Youth A Snare of the Devil for young People and those whom he could not destroy either by the want of Instruction or by the Indulgence of Parents or by the Untractableness of their Minds or by Inconstancy or by a Shame of doing well he perverts by frequenting ill Company Their Discourses their Examples and bad Conversations serve him as Instruments to corrupt the most holy and subvert the State of a good Conscience and frequently by one of these Means he has bred great Disorders in Souls which were almost ignorant of Sin and had conserv'd Vertue amidst the most dangerous Occasions O God! is it possible that this malignant Spirit finds no Instruments more powerful to destroy Men than Men themselves nor to make use of as Servants and Ministers to execute against their own Brethren the Rage he has conceiv'd against them and the Design he hath laid to draw them together with himself into Eternal Damnation I know not whether I should most deplore those who contribute by their Discourses or Examples to the ruin of others or those who suffer themselves to be perverted by them for want of flying and avoiding their Conversation more than those infected with the Plague Concering the First a Noli cibo tuo perdere pro quo Christus mortuus est Rom. 14. are not they sadly miserable to destroy by their Conversation those for whom Jesus Christ hath Dy'd as if it were not sufficient to damn themselves b Errantes in errorem mittentes 2 Tim. 3. but also to be the cause of Damnation of their Brethren to be the Author of their Depravation and of an infinite number of Sins which they commit to be the Instruments of the Malice of the Devils and perform by themselves the Office of that detestable Fiend which is to move Men to Sin and precipitate them into hell c Vox sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra Gen. 4. Sanguinem ejus de manu tua requiret Ezech. 3. Wretched Cain you shall answer for the Souls of your Brethren the voice of their Blood which you have spilt that is of their Salvation which you have ruin'd cries to God for Vengeance against you he will seek for it from your hands you must render him an account of it Soul for Soul. d Vae homini illi per quem scandalum venit Matth. 18. Wo wo says the Son of God to that Man by whom Scandal happens And as for the others are not they much to be deplor'd to permit themselves thus misfortunately to be abus'd and perverted by the Conversation of the Wicked which often befalls them after they have been well advertis'd that there is nothing more dangerous for Youth than wicked Company that that is the Rock where many are irreparably Shipwreckt and also frequently when they had made Experience of it themselves to the great detriment of their Salvation After all this not to avoid these Precipices but to go wilfully without fear into these Companies which they ought to shun more than Death it self O God! what a deplorable Blindness is it I conjure you in the Name of God dear Theotime to have a care of this Impediment of your Salvation and not thus miserably lose your self for want of Precaution Or to speak more properly it is not I who make this Exhortation to you but the Holy Ghost Hearken to the Prophets who cry out to all those who desire to be sav'd Retire retire depart from Sinners a Pollutum nolite tangere Isa 12. touch not that which is unclean b Fugite de medio Babilonis salvet unusquisque animam suam Jer. 51. Fly from the midst of Babylon and let every one apply his thoughts to the Salvation of his Soul. Give ear to the Wiseman who exhorts you with a Fatherly Affection c Fili mi si te lactaverint peccatores ne quiescas eis si dixerint veni nobiscum ne ambules cum eis Pro. 1. Son if Sinners entire thee consent not If they say Come with us O my Child walk not in the way with them restrain thy foot from their path for their feet run to evil and make hast to shed blood And afterwards he says d Ne delecteris
of Vanities and Grandeurs These Conversations Theotime are very hurtful altho' they seem not so for they attack Vertue in the Root and secretly destroy it Fly the Company of idle and lewd young People Idle young Persons who have no Employment or comply very ill with that wherein they are engag'd Their Example will bring you to Slothfulness they will induce you to it by their Discourses they will persuade you to leave your Employment and Labor and pass your time in Merriment They will teach you to love a Play to haunt Tipling-houses to frequent Balls and Comedies And from this Idle Life they will cast you into Disorders Observe well this Advice and assure your self absolutely that there are no Companions more dangerous for you than they For Conclusion Theotime remember one thing That sooner or later the Divine Vengeance will surprise the Wicked whether visibly or invisibly a In synagoga peccantium exardebit ignis in gente incredibili exardescet ira Eccl. 16.16 The Fire of the Divine Choler says the Wiseman will be enkindled against the Assembly of the Impious and against the Rebellious who refuse to obey the Commandments If you be found amongst them you will be involv'd in their Ruin. b Via peccantium complanata lapidibus in fine illorum inseri tenebrae poenae Eccl. 21.10 The way of Sinners seems sweet and agreeable but in the end they will find Death Darkness and Damnation For this reason I say to you with the Prophet c Recedite à tabernaculis hominum impiorum ne involvamini in peccatis eorum Num. 16.26 Withdraw your self from them lest you be involv'd in their Sins and Ruin. Wo be to him who being forewarn'd avoids not this Precipice and eternal Misfortune See a little below Chap. 8. Art. 3. the History of a young Man who being perverted by wicked Company dy'd in Despair crying out Wo be to him who hath seduc'd me There remain's here to speak of the Conversation with the Good but we have plac'd that before amongst the Means to acquire Vertue Part. 2. Chap. 18. CHAP. VII The Seventh Obstacle of the Salvation of Youth Idleness THIS Theotime is one of the greatest Obstacles of your Salvation and that which produceth or nourisheth all the precedent and many others Idleness brings Ignorance and want of Instruction which cannot be gotten without Labor It is that which breeds Untractableness for a slothful Mind will learn nothing The apprehension it hath of taking pains makes it esteem it self sufficiently Knowing and refuse to receive the Instruction and Counsel of others a Sapientior sibi piger videtur septem viris loquentibus sententias Prov. 26.16 The slothful says the Scripture accounts himself wiser than many who Instruct others with their Documents Idleness is the cause of Inconstancy b Piger vult non vult Prov. 13.4 The slothful will and will not To day he desires one thing to morrow another To day he will be Good to morrow he changes his Resolution Idleness causes a Shame to do well and takes away the Courage he ought to have in the pursuit of Vertue c Pigrum dejicit timor Prov. 18.9 Fear makes the slothful lose courage Idleness makes him seek and find wicked Company and dangerous Recreations Idleness ordinarily is the Mother of that misfortunate Sin which so deplorably destroys a great part of Youth the Sin of Impurity of which we shall speak in the following Chapter In a word There are no Sins no Disorders no Occasions of Destruction whereof Idleness is not the cause and brings with it This is the reason which made S. Bernard justly call it d Omnium cogitationum malarum tentationum inutilium sentina mater nugarum noverca virtutum mors animae vivi hominis sepultura sentina omnium malorum The Sink of all Temptations and wicked Thoughts the Mother of Follies and Stepmother of Vertues the Death of the Soul the Sepulchre of a living Man the Receptacle of all Evil And the Holy Ghost himself names it The Mistress which teacheth many Sins Multam malitiam docuit otiositas Alas Theotime is it not a very deplorable thing How common amongst young Persons to see the Sin which is the Fountain of so many Evils to be so common amongst Youth that it seems to become natural to them You see the greatest part live after an idle and negligent manner flying from Labor like Death it self not applying themselves to any constant Exercise or if they undertake any they presently abandon it or at best acquit themselves very ill of it They have no affection nor thought but for Pleasures and Divertisements Playing Walking Good-chear Sleeping are the most considerable Employments of their Life and the most serious Occupations of their Minds And from thence spring all the Disorders into which we daily see them fall How pernicious the unbridled Affection to the Pleasures of this Life the Disrelishing of Vertue the Ignorance of the most necessary things the Forgetfulness of God and Eternal Salvation From thence wicked Companions and the Occasions of Debauches From thence all Vices and all bad Inclinations which encrease in their Souls more abundantly than ill Weeds in a fertil Earth which the Gardners Hand neglects to cultivate And from thence in fine it ariseth that they become unuseful for any Good which by their Labor they might have made themselves capable of and that the Vices contracted by the Idleness of their Youth renders them wicked and unprofitable all the remainder of their Life I would to God it were as easie to root out Vice from the Souls of young People as it is facil to make appear the deplorable Effects and vicious Consequences of it But this Evil hath in such a manner taken possession of their Hearts that they will not so much as know it or knowing will not cure it * Usque quo piger dormies quando consurges à somno tuo paululum dormitabis paululum conseres manus ut dormias veniet tibi quasi viator egestas pauperies sicut vir armatus Prov. 6. O slothful says the Wiseman how long will you sleep when will you awake from that profound Sleep of Idleness which hath made you so drowsie and which will bring you to a poverty of all good which will surprise you suddenly and seize upon you like an armed man. Open your Heart dear Theotime to the Voice of this Divine Spirit to banish Idleness from thence or hinder it from ever coming there For this end fortifie your Mind against this Vice by the following Reflections The Remedy which I beseech you to read often and attentively 1. All Men are oblig'd to Labor In sudore vultus tui vesceris panem Gen. 5. Homo ad laborem natus si laborem resugit non sacit id ad quod natus est quid respondebit ei qui mittit illum qui
to blaspheme And St. Gregory relates how a Child accustom'd to Swear in his Impatiences by the Name of God was seis'd by a mortal Distemper and assaulted by malignant Spirits which caus'd him to depart this Life in his Fathers Arms who being too indulgent in Correcting him had bred up in this Child a great Sinner for Hell as the same Saint observes The Remedy of this Sin Remedy when one has never so little a Habit or Inclination to it is to fly the Causes as Anger Plays of Hazard wicked Company and all other things which every one knows to be to them an occasion of Swearing But above all it is a powerful and even necessary Remedy to impose upon ones self some rigorous Punishment for every time he shall fall into this Sin as some Alms some Prayers to be perform'd the same Day some Fasting to be observ'd soon after or some other painful Action Fly also all sorts of Oaths or Imprecations and certain Fashions of Speaking which not being Oaths are Dispositions to Swear upon Occasions Christian Modesty requires that we should not Swear at all according to that holy Precept of our Saviour * Ego autem dico vobis non jurare omnino sit autem sermo vester est est non non Quod autem his abundantius est a malo est Mat. 5. I say Swear not at all and let your Words be yea and nay what is said besides this comes from the Devil Of Detraction Detraction is another Sin of the Tongue which you ought not only to avoid but abhor To Detract What Detraction is is to report of another a Sin able to defame him which he hath not committed or else a Sin which he hath committed but is not known or publick for as long as the Sin of our Neighbor is secret to reveal it to them who knew it not is to do him an Injury Detraction is sometimes committed out of Malice It is done two ways as by Hatred Revenge Envy or Design to hurt our Neighbor Sometimes by Indiscretion and Lightness of Mind and by an Inclination one has to speak of the Evil he hath heard or knows of another which is too common amongst young People Altho' the first manner of Detraction be most criminal the second nevertheless is not without Sin for it always takes away the Reputation of our Neighbor it obliges to repair the Honor he was depriv'd of And this promptness to talk of others Defects is the result of a Mind defective in Charity or Prudence and often in both For Charity makes us conceal the Faults of others as we would have our own kept private and Prudence hinders us from speaking ill of another on purpose or without necessity Avoid this Sin Theotime as a vile thing It is odious to God and Man. Abominatio hominum detractor Prov. 24. unworthy of a generous or truly Christian Soul and as an odious Vice before both God and Men. A Detractor says the Wiseman is the the abomination of Men. Be not therefore light in speaking of others Defects Practice but keep them secret when you know them The Wiseman says excellently well Audisti verbum adversus proximum tuum commoriatu rin te Eccl. 19. When you have heard any Speech against your Neighbor let it die within you that is let it go no farther In fine conserve the Honor of another as you know it is dear to him and as you would desire he should conserve yours Yet it is to be observ'd An important Remark that it is not Detraction to speak of anothers Sin when it is for his Good or to hinder that it do not prejudice others when one tells it to a discreet Person who can or ought to apply a Remedy to it On the contrary it is always Charity to do so and there is frequently an Obligation of Conscience and a very strict Obligation in which one is sometimes defective out of Fearfulness or some vain Pretence he frames to himself which springs only from the want of Charity and affection to the Salvation of our Neighbor and which are the Causes that one is made culpable in the sight of God of the Sins of others See more of this Subject in Chap. 18. of this Part. Of Injuries and Reproaches Fly also Quarrels which are the Causes of many Evils as we shall shew hereafter And in Debates which arise avoid to speak injurious Words utter not Reproaches or Threats these are vile things and unworthy of a vertuous Soul. Homo assuetus verbis improperit in omnibus diebus non erudietur Eccl. 23. Call to mind that to return Injury for Injury Reproach for Reproach is to wash a Spot with Ink and make it yet more black for it is to blot out an Injury one hath done you which is often only in the Imagination with a Sin which is frequently mortal It is to defend your Honor to the prejudice of your Salvation if that can be accounted to defend your Honor which defends it by the ruin of anothers Credit The Spirit of Christianity is not only ignorant of offering an Injury but also of returning to those who first offer it you according to those excellent Maxims of S. Paul * Benedicite persequentibus vos benedicite nolite maledicere nulli malum pro malo reddentes non vosmetipsos defendentes fed date locum irae Noli vinci à malo sed vince in bono malum Rom. 12. Bless those who persecute you bless them and curse them not Render not Ill for Ill nor revenge your self nor give way to your Anger Permit not your self to be overcome by Ill but overcome Ill by Good that is the Ill which another do's you by the Good you render him This you 'll say is very hard 'T is true Theotime therefore you must learn to practise it betimes These Maxims are difficult to those who are not Instructed in their Youth and have not learn'd to live but according to the Inclinations of Nature yet they are facil to those who apply themselves in good time to do the Will of God and live according to the Spirit of his Son Jesus Christ by imitating his Example and practising his Maxims as a Christian ought to do otherwise he is a Christian in name and not in reality Of Sowers of Discord Have a care also of another Sin of the Tongue Non appelleris susurro c. Susurratori odium inimicitia contumelia Eccl. 5. which is but too common amongst young Persons yet very prejudicial It is to be the Author of Discords by Reports which are often made by Indiscretion not regarding the Evil which may from thence arise and sometimes out of a bad Design to stir up Divisions and Discords This Sin is great and more heinous than is imagin'd for it is the cause of many other Sins and of all the Ills which accompany Quarrels The Wiseman says that God detests it
of the Emperor Theodosius the Great That he was so much in inclin'd to Meekness that he esteem'd himself oblig'd very much when one ask'd him Pardon and when he was most angry he pardon'd easiest so that one desir'd in him what was fear'd in others viz. that he should be in Choler O what an excellent Example is this and which deserves to be well consider'd 5. When you shall be put into Passion impose some Punishment upon your self as some Prayers Alms or other things express a trouble for it to those who see you 6. There is scarce any Person but says or do's something in his Anger of which he repents himself after When therefore you shall be in Choler restrain your self as much as you can from saying or doing any thing which Passion suggests Never believe your self when you are in Passion expect till it be past to judge whether a thing be ill spoken or done and you will often find that it was not 7. Entertain not your Thoughts with the Subject of your Displeasure to persuade your self that you have just cause to be angry this is but to cherish your Passion there is none but thinks he has a great deal of Reason when he is in Choler On the contrary convince your self that you may be deceiv'd and divert your Mind to another thing 8. If you desire to have an aversion for Anger consider another attentively when he is in Passion you will see nothing in him and his Actions but what will displease you The same happens to you in respect of others when you are angry And if you should see your self in a Looking-glass you would be vexed at your self and would not endure your self in that Condition 9. Fly the Conversation of impatient and cholerick Men Noli esse amicus homini iracundo ne forte discas semitas ejus Prov. 29. according to that rare Precept of the Wiseman Contract not Friendship with a cholerick Man lest you learn his Humor In sine accustom your self to be affable and benign toward others to excuse their Faults to forget Injuries to pardon easily not to be so delicate and sensible in the things which concern you to speak mildly to all And learn in good time Theotime the practise of that adorable Sentence of Jesus Christ * Discite à me quia mitis sum humilis corde Mat. 11. Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart CHAP. XV. Of Peace with our Neighbor against Quarrels and Enmities ANger produces Quarrels Young People are much subject to Quarrels Enmities and other bad Effects which we have spoken of Now it is important that you should he well Instructed concerning these had Effects of this wicked Cause being that young Men are much subject to these Disorders The Heat of their Age makes them impatient to suffer the least Injuries indiscreet and inconsiderate to be able to repress them any other ways than by those of Passion which carries them to Dissentions Enmities and Revenge From hence arise a vast number of Mischiefs and amongst other the ruin of Vertue in these young Souls for where there is no Peace there can be no Charity nor consequently Vertue And as the Apostle St. James says * Ubi zelus contentio ibi inconstantia omne opus pravum Jac. 3. Where there are Emulation and Contention Inconstancy and all sort of wicked Actions are there also It is a Rock which with all possible care you must seek to avoid learning in good time to hate Quarrels and Enmities Pacem habete Deus pacis dilectionis erit vobiscum 2 Cor. 11. and to love Peace and Concord For if you have not a peaceable Spirit the God of Peace will not be with you To acquire and preserve this peaceable Spirit Means to acquire a peaceable Mind you must have a care of Three things 1. Not to quarrel with any Person 2. Not to give occasion to others to offer any to you 3. To behave your self discreetly when any one hath a Difference with you 1. Raise no Quarrels Raise not therefore any Quarrels with others upon whatsoever occasion There are some Spirits naturally quarrelsom who are always at Debate with others Impatient Spirits which can suffer nothing rash and inconsiderate always guided by a fantastical Humor and not by Reason It is a wicked and pernicious Quality which is the Mark of a sottish and impertinent Spirit For as the Wiseman says a Labia stulti miscent se rixis os ejus jurgia provocat Prov. 18. The Vnwise thrusts himself into Quarrels and his Mouth provokes Dissentions Be not you such an one Theotime b Honor est homini qui separat se à contentionibus omnes autem miscentur contumeliis Prov. 20. It is an Honor says the Wiseman to be separated from Debates they are only ill-bred Spirits who engage themselves therein Where I speak not of another sort of quarrelsom Spirits who through Malice and a very wicked Inclination seek Quarrels and take a pleasure in raising them and making themselves Enemies These are ungracious Spirits who seek their own Misfortune and find it at length according to that Verity of the Scripture * Semper jurgia quaerit malus angelus autem crudelis mittetur contra eum Prov. 13. The Wicked seeks always Quarrels but a cruel Angel shall be sent out against them that is the Devil will bring him some Disaster which will destroy him 2. It is not sufficient to abstain from stirring up a Debate with any one you must have a care not to give occasion to others to cause a Difference with you Give no occasion of Quarrels Sometimes occasion is given upon Design and deliberate Purpose which is proper to turbulent malicious Spirits Lovers of Disturbance and Enemies of peace Sometimes and most frequently Offence is given by Imprudence for want of taking care of the things which might provoke our Neighbor This is what you must be solicitous to avoid Ejice derisorem exibit cum eo jurgium Prov. 22. Endeavor therefore to abstain from every thing that may disgust your Neighbor as too great Contradictions Detractions indiscreet Reports Contempts Sâ—offs Injuries and a thousand other like things 3. Carry your self Wisely if you be quarrell'd with Now if it chance that any one quarwith you even when you gave no occasion on your part endeavor to comport your self discreetly not permitting your self to be carry'd away with the Passion of Anger or at least returning presently to your self Above all suffer not your self to go so far as to offer an Injury or Reproach as we have already said strive to appease your Neighbor with sweet Words shewing modestly that you have done him no wrong Responsio mollis frangit iram sermo durus suscit furorem Prov. 19. or excuse your self mildly if you have offer'd him any If he be not pacifi'd for that withdraw your self from
your Neighbor for the love of God but for the love of your self only And altho' God command you to love him who hath offended you exhorts you to it and accounts the Love you render to one like you as done to his own Person yet all this is not capable to make you quit the Resentment and hatred you bear in your Heart Say in fine that you pretend nothing to the Grace of God and Eternal Life being the Scripture teaches us That * Nos scimus quoniam translati sumus de morte ad vitam quoniam diligimus fratres Qui non diligit manet in morte 1 Joh. 3. we are transported from Death to Life by the Love we shew to our Brethren And that he who loves not remains in Death Let us conclude Theotime that either we must renounce Christianity the Love of God and Eternal Salvation or we must necessarily pardon Injuries love our Enemies and render Good for Evil. But as this Vertue is difficult in the Corruption of Nature and the Depravation of the World which cannot relish it you must learn it in good time Agnoscit se esse hominem qui novit ignoscere vias Christi sequitur qui carne suscepta maluit in hunc modum redemptor venire quam judex S. Amb. Orat. de obit Theod. and demand it frequently of God. Beg of him that he would give you a meek and peaceable Heart and which loves to render Good for Evil. Accustom your self from your Youth to pardon small Injuries not to render Ill for Ill that you may learn to pardon great ones upon occasion for the Love of him who hath saved you when he might most justly have destroy'd you for all Eternity CHAP. XVII Of the Love of our Neighbor THIS Vertue is the Mother of the three former and its Defects cause all the Disorders we have spoken of in the three last Chapters For Anger Dissentions Animosities Revenges spring only from the want of Charity and because we love not our Neighbor Christianly and as God commands us to love him It is a thing of most Importance that you be instructed in this Vertue because it is a Fundamental Vertue of Christianity * Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde proximum sicut te ipsum which is Establish'd upon these two Laws Love God above all things and your Neighbor as your self and yet very rare and badly practis'd amongst Christians The generality of Christians believe That to love their Parents their Friends A common Error concerning the Love of our Neighbor and those from whom they expect any Favor is sufficient and accounts the Affection to all other Men as indifferent This is not to love our Neighbor but our Selves Children from their Youth are bred up in this Opinion they are taught only to love those who do them good and hate those who do them hurt From hence arise all the Discords which disfigure the the Face of Christianity the Harshness with which Men treat one another the little Support they mutually give the small Assistance they afford them in their Necessities From thence the Propensity to Quarrels Injuries ill Treatments Hatred and Revenge It is very important to disabuse young Persons of this common Error and to instruct them in this Vertue so necessary for Salvation This Error proceeds from three things which ought to be known in this Vertue that is Three things to be known in the Love of our Neighbor Who are our Neighbors which must be lov'd The Motive for which they must be lov'd And in what this Love consists 1. 1. Who he is Our Neighbors which must be lov'd are all Men even the most unknown Great and Mean Poor and Rich Good and Bad Friend and Foe 2. 2. The Motive to love him The Motive for which they must be lov'd is because they are all the Children of God Created to his Image Redeem'd by the Blood of his Son Jesus Christ because God who is our common Father will have us love them as our Brethren and because Jesus Christ who is our common Savior hath commanded us to love them 3. 3. In what it consists This Love consists in three things In desiring Good to all In doing it when we can principally in their Temporal and Spiritual Good And in supporting their Defects and excusing their Faults This is Theotime true Charity which is one of the Foundations of Vertue the Mark of a Christian Spirit without which we cannot please God nor have any real Vertue and wherein it is necessary you be exercis'd in good time to acquire it 1. Practice 1. To desire Good to all Accustom your self to consider all Men as your Brethren and in this Quality to desire Good to all of them Be meek and amiable to all Have compassion on the Poor and Afflicted Be not envious at the Rich and all those in Prosperity Love the Good by reason of their Vertue the Wicked that they may become Good desiring the Perseverance of the former and the Conversion of the latter We must hate Sin which is the Work of Man but love Man who is the Work of God. 2. 2. To procure it when we can Being it is nothing to wish one Good except we do it when we can Use your self to be prompt and inclin'd to do Good to your Neighbor when you can Three sorts of Goods Now there are three sorts of Goods which we may procure to our Neighbor in his Body in his Honor and in his Soul. As for the First Assist others in their Necessities according to the Power and Occasions you have 1. Corporal Give Alms freely to the Poor O what an excellent Vertue in a young Man is Mercy and Compassion for the Poor Happy those who can say with Job * Ab infantia crevit mecum miseratio Job 21. Eleemosyna ab omni peccato morte liberat non patietur animam ire ad tenebras Tob. 4. Compassion hath increas'd with me from my Infancy Because it will attract a great abundance of Divine Blessings upon them during all their Life and at the Hour of our Death as it is said in the Scripture As for their Honor 2. Moral you ought to conserve it in your Neighbor as much as possible Hinder Calumnies and Detractions If one be accus'd of a Wickeness which he hath not done defend him and say that it is not so If one discover the Ill he hath done endeavor to excuse him and hinder that it be not spoken of any more Speak of some other Good he hath done or some good Quality he is endow'd with Shew that Detraction displeases you and exhort him who utters it to spare the Reputation of his Neighbor As for the Good of the Soul 3. Spiritual which consists in Vertue and Salvation since it is the greatest of all Goods you must use all possible Means to procure
more capable of Labor which it could not be able to undergo if it were always employ'd So that Labor is the End and Motive of Sport and Recreation From thence three Conditions follow Three Conditions to be observ'd which must be observ'd in Play that it may be good and vertuous The First Moderation To keep therein a civil Moderation for if it be taken in excess it is no more a Recreation but rather an Employment it is not to Play to be made more fit for Labor which is the sole End Pastime ought to have but only for Pleasure which is a vicious End yea it is to make one unsit for Labor because excess of Play dissipates the Spirits enfeebles the Forces of the Body and oftentimes considerably prejudices the Health by the Distempers it causes The Second Condition is An orderly Affection Not to have a disorderly Affection to Play as it happens frequently to young Persons This Affection makes them fall into the Excess we spoke of lose much Time think continually of the Means to divert themselves It is the cause that they almost never apply themselves seriously to Labor and when their Body is at Study their Mind is at their Sport and Divertisement The Third Condition is Avoiding the Cames of Hazard To fly as much as possible the Plays of Hazard such Plays keep the Mind too much ty'd to them principally young Peoples They serve not to recreate the Spirits but to give them more disturbance It is hard to observe therein a Moderation one is so engag'd either by Loss or Gain They Play there only out of Covetousness The bad Effects of Play. and to gain which is a wicked End Add the ordinary Losses one suffers which leave after them Displeasure Vexation and Despair Joyn to these the Cheats unjust Gains Choler Swearing Quarrels of which these sorts of Plays are ordinarily full The excessive loss of Time the dissipation of Mind and Goods the wicked Habits of Anger of Impatience of Swearing of Lying of Covetousness and many others which Play produces The disorderly Inclination to Play which continues all their Life and frequently ruins their Possessions and Honor and reduces them to extream Miseries as we daily see but by too many Examples and in fine makes a Man incapable of any Good. Avoid these Sports Theotime Practice as absolutely contrary to your Salvation and Happiness and addict not your self but to honest Pastimes which serve for the Divertisement of the Mind or Exercise of the Body observing therein the Conditions we have spoken of and chiefly keeping your self from Excesses which * Relaxabantur etiam mihi ad ludendum habenae ultra temperamentum severitatis in dissolutionem affectionum variarum S. Aug. lib. 2. Confes S. Augustin in his Confessions acknowledg'd to be one of the Causes of the depravation of his Youth Now this Excess is understood not only of the Time employ'd therein which ought to be well regulated but also of the Mony you Play which ought always to be very little otherwise you will Play for Gain and not for Recreation and the Sport will be a Hell and Disquiet rather than a Divertisement Besides the Mony you lose at Play would be better employ'd amongst the Poor whose Necessities will cry one day to God for your Excesses and against those of all Gamesters CHAP. XXI Of Liberality against Covetousness ALtho' it may seem that Covetousness is not an ordinary Vice amongst young Persons Youth must be arm'd against Covetousness yet it is very necessary to arm them against this Passion which easily taking root in young Souls is insensibly augmented and causes vast Disorders in their Life There are two sorts of Covetousness Two sorts of Covetousness The one which makes us love Mony to heap it up to get Treasures and Purchases The other which makes us affect it to dispose and employ it for our proper Pleasures The First is very rare amongst young People but the Second is very ordinary with them and highly prejudicial Experience makes appear that it is ordinary with them How ordinary among young Persons for as they earnestly love their Pleasures they seek after all Means to satisfie them which cannot be effected without Mony From hence it comes that they apply all their Endeavors to get it From hence the Cheats and Tricks they make use of towards their Parents to get it from them From hence their Cozening in Play their Hard-heartedness to the Poor and sometimes Robberies and unjust Ways to procure it From hence the love of Riches which we see in young Spirits the desires of great Fortunes the imaginary Designs they lay to purchase them This Passion having thus taken its beginning in Youth easily increases How prejudicial and strengthening it self by Age becomes so strangely rooted that it can never be pull'd up all the remainder of their Life And it causes that so general a Disorder which is found amongst Christians and which the Prophet deplores when he says that a A minore usque ad majorem omnes avaritiae student Jer. 16.13 From the least to the greatest all are given to Covetousness that is to the irregular love of the things of the World which b Radix omnium malorum est cupiditas 1 Tim. 6. S. Paul says is The root of all Evils This Vice takes its origin from three Causes in Youth The First is Three Causes of Avarice in young Men. what we have now spoken of The Second is the common Example of the World which they see loves and esteems Mony above all things and runs after it with insatiable greediness The Third is the Fault of Parents who inspire this Love into their Children from their tender Years Discoursing of nothing but the Care to get their Livelihood if they be Mean or Poor or of advancing and aspiring to a higher Fortune if they be Rich teaching thus their Children that which S. Cyprian reproaches them for that is Filios tuos doces patrimonium magis amare quam Christum S. Cypr. lib. de oper Eleem. To love more their Riches than Jesus Christ and to labor in such a manner for the Goods of this mortal Life that they think little or nothing on the Eternal This Evil dear Theotime must be prevented in good time It must be prevented betimes and hindred from taking possession of your Heart it being certain that there is no Vice which increases more with Age than this and which becomes more incapable of remedy For this Effect take notice of what I counsel you 1. First Means Being as we have said that the greatest Cause of this Covetousness in young People springs from the love of Pleasures use all your Endeavors to moderate that Passion which may be said to be one of the greatest Mischiefs of Youth the Cause of all the Misfortunes it commits and the chiefest Obstacle of all the Good
Esteem Value not your self for any thing whatsoever neither for your Riches nor for your Quality nor Beauty or good Behavior for the Glory one takes in these things is base and impertinent and belongs only to vain Spirits Nor for your Wit or Science for these are the Gifts of God and you offer him an Injury when you raise your self Esteem from thence Nor much less for Vertue for it springs far less from you and he who glories therein puts himself in danger of absolutely losing it Besides we often imagin we have Perfections which we have not and when we find in our selves any Advantage we ought to give the Glory to God who is the Author of it and not to our selves who have receiv'd it and say from our Heart Non nobis Domine Psal 113. non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam It is an excellent Maxim of S. Bernard Gloriam meam alteri non dabo quid ergo dabis Domine Quid dabis nobis Pacem inquit do vobis pacem relinquo vobis Sufficit mihi gratanter accipio quod relinquis relinquo quod retines sic placet sic mea interesse non dubito Abjuro gloriam prorsus ne forte si usurpavero non concessam perdam merito oblatam Pacem volo pacem desidero nihil amplius Cui non sufficit pax non sufficis tu tu es enim pax nostra qui secisti utraque unum Et infra Gloria in Excelsis Deo in terra Pax hominibus bonae voluntatis At vero non bonae sed planae iniquae voluntatis est qui nequaquam pace contentus superbo oculo insatiabili corde inquietus anhelat ad gloriam Dei nec pacem proinde retinens nec gloriam apprehendens S. Bern. Serm. 13. in Cant. which ought to be deeply engraven in your Mind That amongst all the Favors God hath bestow'd upon us he hath reserv'd nothing to himself but the Glory of being the Author of them and having committed to us the whole Fruit of them it is a very unjust and criminal thing that we should take to our selves the Profit and also the Glory of them retaining our Part and usurping that which belongs to God after he hath declar'd that he would give it to no one I will not give says he my Glory to another Weigh well this Reflection Theotime 2. 2. Towards God. Be humble towards God in consideration of his incomprehensible Greatness before which you are nothing in contemplation of that Power Substantia mea tanquam nihilum ante te Psal 38. of that Sovereign Majesty which makes the Angels themselves to tremble Acknowledge the Offences you have committed against this infinite Greatness the Favors which without number you have received from his Bounty the Abuses you have offer'd it the Account you must give in his Judgment the Necessity you have of his Graces for your Salvation with a thousand like things and you will find reason enough to humble your self or rather annihilate your self before God. 3. 3. Towards Men. Be humble towards Men. There are those who are humble towards God for how should not a wretched Creature abase it self before its Creator its Lord and its Judg but they are proud in respect of Men and so have not true Humility To practise this Humility be careful never to despise any Person and be ready to honor every one amongst Men Some are above you others equal to you others Inferiors As to the First Respect towards Superiors be Respectful Tractable and Obedient to all those who have any Authority over you Suffer humbly to be reprehended if you do otherwise you are proud Honor also all those who surpass you in any thing in Age in Science in Quality As for your Equals Towards Equals endeavor to treat them always with Esteem with Honor with Deference without being well-conceited of your self without being offended at his Rank of Honor nor desiring to precede you must leave these Vanities to those who affect them As for your Inferiors Towards Inferiors be mild and benign to all those who Serve you considering them as your Brethren a Et vos domini eadem facite illis remittentes minas scientes quia illorum vester Dominus est in coelis personarum acceptio non est a pud eum Ephes 6.9 And you Masters says the Apostle S. Paul treat sweetly your Servants refraining from Threats remembring that you have a common Master with them in Heaven who hath no respect of Persons Shew your self humble and affable to all others that are of a meaner Condition than you according to that excellent Precept of the Wiseman b Congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito Be affable to the company of the Poor be ready to serve and assist them in their Necessities In fine A great Means to repress Pride is to consider what Man is his Baseness his Miseries the shortness of Life and what follows after Death c Quid superbis terra cinis omnis Potentatus vita brevis Rex hodie est cras morietur cum morietur homo haereditabit serpentes bestias vermes Eccl. 10. Dust and Ashes what dost thou glory in says the Wiseman All Authority is but of a short continuance To day a King to morrow nothing and when Man shall be dead he will inherit Beasts Serpents and Worms O God what a Motive is this of Pride Respect not Theotime many exterior things which environ you and raise in you Pride and Vanity but consider what you are in your self and you will find reason enough to be humble It is the Advice S. Bernard gives you in those excellent Verses which I shall present to you to meditate attentively on Forma favor populi S. Bern. Medit. cap. 3. fervor juvenilis opesque Subripuere tibi noscere quid sit homo Vnde superbit homo Cujus conceptio culpa Nasci paena labor vita necesse Mori Post hominem vermis post vermem faetor horror Sic in non hominem vertitur omnis homo Youth and Beauty Wealth and th' Worlds Applause Make Man forget his Nature and her Laws His Life 's a Toil Conception Sin a Pain His Birth and needs must die Why then so vain His Crops will Worms possess and Stench and Dread Will Worms succeed See then what 's Man when dead The Meaning is That if Man will consider himself attentively he will find reason enough to repress his Pride he will find that his Conception casts him into Sin his Birth into Misery that his Life is a continu'd Chain of Labors that Death is an unavoidable Necessity and that after Death he shall possess nothing but Stench Corruption and Horror as to his Body But as for his Soul she is to be presented before the Judgment of God to receive there the Decree of her Eternal Happiness or Misery and this Judgment shall be terrible
into Error seeing the Idols of Gold and Silver with all their Ornaments And in telling them many such like things he exhorted them that they should never let the Law of God be remov'd from their Hearts What that holy Prophet did in that Occasion concerning the Jews I ought to perform here is respect of you dear Theotime and with as much necessity Having conducted you even to the end of Youth which ordinarily is spent in Studies or other Employments convenient for that Age and considering you in this time about to enter into some State of Life I am oblig'd to admonish you of many things at that Entrance and to arm you with good Advertisements against the Dangers you will find in the World where you will meet with no less Hazards than the Jews did in the Captivity of Babylon It is a Place where you will have many Occasions of forgetting God and of runing your self For this reason I exhort you with the Prophet to have a care of your self that the Law of God may never be taken out of your Heart For this end I have prepar'd for you the following Advices which I beseech you to read with much attention as most important for your Salvation ADVICE I. That the time of issuing out of Youth and entring into the World is the most dangerous of all the Life and many are shipwreckt therein This is the first Advertisement I give you and which I wish may be deeply engraven in the Minds of all young People to make them very much stand in fear of so slippery a Step and so dangerous a Place for their Age where many run misfortunately into Ruin. It is there where the Devil waits for them and where he hopes his Attempts will not be vain and unprofitable He finds then all the possible Advantages to withdraw them from Vertue if before they have been bred up therein or engage them more deeply in Vice The Liberty they begin to enjoy the Idleness whereinto they easily fall at that time the greater Occasions they have of committing III the easier Means they have to give themselves to Merriment and take their Pleasures the new Companies which they frequent where they soon learn the Spirit of the World Vanity Pride love of Pleasures the Maxims of the World the Imitation of the Wicked and the entire corruption of Manners the Sentiments of Vertue which they had learnt in their Youth are easily dislipated those seem now fit only for Children they think they must have a more refin'd and elevated Spirit they contemn what they esteem'd before the most pious Resolutions appear to them the Effects of Simplicity and from thence springs the ruin of Vertue and the entire corruption of their Manners which follows that of the Mind This Truth is very manifest Experience makes it daily appear to the great regret of those whom the Salvation of Youth moves never so little S. Augustin had made trial of this to his great Damage as he himself deplores it in his Confessions where he says That Domestick Affairs having made him leave off his Studies * Sed ubi sexto illo decimo anno interposito otio ex necessitate domestica feriatus ab omni schola cum parentibus esse coepi excesserunt caput meum vepres libidinum nulla erat eradicans manus S. Aug. lib. 2. Confess cap. 3. at the Age of Sixteen and return to his Fathers House Vices and wanton Pleasures began as he himself says to grow above his Head as Briers in a neglected Ground and to be multiply'd so much more as there was no discreet Hand to weed them out And I would to God he had not had so many Companions in his Misfortune but the multitude of them is innumerable particularly amongst young People who have any Advantage above others in their Condition or Fortune There are few found who imitate the holy Man Toby whom all young Persons ought to take for their Example and Model in that time concerning whom the Scripture observes so expresly and on purpose * Cumque esset junior omnibus in tribu Nephthali nihil tamen puerile gessit in opere Denique cum irent omnes ad vitulos aureos quos Jeroboam fecerat hic solus fugiebat consortia omnium pergebat in Jerusalem ad Templum Domini ibi adorabat Dominum Deum Israel Tob. 1. That in his Youth he acted nothing Childish and that all his Fellow-Citizens going to adore the Idols he withdrew himself from their Company and went alone to Jerusalem to adore the true God not permitting himself to be corrupted by the Example of others O what an excellent Pattern is this for young People who enter into the World and which they ought frequently to place before their Eyes as being propos'd by the Holy Ghost for that intent Altho' there are few who imitate this Example yet there are some God hath always his Servants he reserves some for himself who bend not their Knees before Baal who permit not themselves to be corrupted by the Contagion of the World. To the end Theotime you may be of that number do I give you this so necessary and little known Admonition and continue the following Advices ADVICE II. That the chief care of young Men who enter into the World ought to be to conserve the Sentiments and Practices of Piety which they have observ'd in their Youth The reason of this Advice is because the first source of the Disorder of young Persons in that time spring from the change of the Sentiments they have concerning Piety as we have said and abandoning the Practices they observ'd before as ordinary Prayer reading pious Books frequenting the Sacraments Conversation with vertuous Persons and chiefly Conference with a discreet Confessor Wherefore I tell you Theotime that the prime care you ought to have at that time is to conserve the Sentiments of Vertue which you have receiv'd and the practice of those you have been instructed in As for the Sentiments know that Vertue is always one and the same and in whatsoever Age or Occasion you be in you are still oblig'd to consecrate your self to God to obey and serve him faithfully As for the Practices remember that if you be oblig'd to Vertue you are also oblig'd in like manner to all the necessary Means to acquire and conserve it such are the Practices we have spoken of above Wherefore I advise you as a thing most important for your Salvation not to desist from them if you leave them off you ruin your self in Vice. Be diligent in Praying in Reading good Books in frequenting the Sacraments in Conversing with vertuous Persons and chiefly in discovering your Conscience to a discreet Ghostly Father whether to him who directed you before if you can have him for that is always best or to another It is in this that all young People are defective at that time From the time they begin to know themselves they will not